Activism Blog 4

Kelly Hales WST 3015

April 23, 2010
Nina Perez
Word Count: 358
Activism Blog 4

Activism:

This week I did some overall research about the Girl Scouts as an organization. We didn't have any actual appointments with the girls so I really wanted to explore the history of the Girl Scouts. I found out that the Girl Scouts was actually created in 1912 by a woman named Juliette Gordon Low, often referred to as "Daisy". "She believed that all girls should be given the opportunity to develop physically, mentally, and spiritually" (Girl Scouts of the United States of America). Daisy's dream came true when she gathered a group of 18 girls in Georgia, which eventually became the Girl Scouts of the United Stated of America.

Reflection:

This program continues to unite girls to empower them and instill a positive morale into every individual girl. It is beneficial to not only individuals girls but also the community. I too was a member of the Girl Scouts when I was younger and I feel that it shaped who I am as well. It is important for young girl to be influenced by positive mentors and to learn that they should give back to community. Kirk and Okazawa-Rey stated that "identity formation is the result of a complex interplay among a range of factors: individual decisions and choices, particular life events, community recognition and expectations, social categorization, and key national or international events". The Girl Scouts strives to touch the lives of the girls participating in order to shape them into an exemplary being.

Reciprocity:

Working with the girl scouts thus far has been a great amount of fun. I ofter hear the phrase "give more than you get" but I find that when I'm working on my service learning project (with the Girl Scouts) I actually find it to be the other way around. The girls remind me what it was like to be their age and it's so much fun. I feel "full" when I'm driving home from working with them. I just enjoy the feeling of helping out and sharing my experiences with them. I hope that I have touched their lives in a way that is equivalent to the way that they've touched mine.

Resources:

Kirk, Gywn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. "Identities and Social Locations: Who am I? Who are my people?". Women's Lives Multicultural Perspectives. New York: McGraw Hill, 2009.

"Who We Are: Girl Scout History". The Girl Scouts of the United States of America. March 10 2010 .